Sorry folks: I don’t even have the heart to properly snark this one. But since it’s been a week for stuff that’s been all over the internet fifty times over, this did the same thing much more effectively.
Yet more on the HP Lexicon
There’s a post from Steve Vander Ark over on the Lexicon blog, an email from the past where he discourages other fans from publishing an encyclopedia and acknowledges it as illegal (but he planned to “plan to petition Jo to allow the Lexicon to work with her to create the ultimate Harry Potter encyclopedia.”) Again: Classy.
The piece de resistance is perhaps a video of Vander Ark at the Prophecy 2007 conference. (“Jo has quit; she’s done… we’re taking over now!” and “Jo has every right to write her seventh book… but I have a real problem with her claiming from now until 2017.”) The sentiment is something we’re familiar with here in Star Wars fandom, but when one is planning to take your fandom project and sell it without permission for $25 a pop, it sounds a lot more sinister. The 501st you’re not, bud.
See it all over at Fandom Wank, since that’s where I’m stealing links from anyway.
Continuing adventures in HP legal
The case of the Harry Potter Lexicon vs. J.K. Rowling grows more tangled. Fandom Wank is on the case, naturally, and Cleolinda even posts a handy roundup in her personal Livejournal.
The highlight? The publisher updated their website FAQ with a comment comparing the situation to “the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” Classy.
The very definition of facepalm
Harry Potter fansite was going to (basically) publish their site in book form. So J.K. Rowling files suit. Shocking!
UPDATE: Rowling speaks, as does the Lexicon’s publisher.
Dumbledore still gay!
Just in case you were wondering.
One of my two favourite economists found a couple gems today (thanks, Diane!). First, what is the real secret of Harry Potter? And, second, one French philosopher celebrates the release of Harry Potter et les Reliques de la mort there by asking whether Muggles represent the Thatchero-Blairite middle class clawing their way up from the lower middle class to the upper middle class, while Harry is… er, well, I’ll let you read it yourself. Bonus points if you can do it in the original French (and you already have yours, Paula).
In other news, filming of the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is popping up all over England. And a certain set of twins were recently spotted sporting identical haircuts and red hair.
Friday morning reading list
NEWS
- Who is Hal Wamsley, the Jawa impersonator?
- Star Wars takes over ferry terminal.
- J.K. Rowling badmouths Star Wars prequels? Or did she? Two-bit celebrity wire services, ehh.
LISTS & THE LIKE
- Eight life lessons from Star Wars all kids should learn
- Three lessons Darth Vader taught me about money.
PASSING REFERENCES
- Time namechecks Artoo and Threepio in their obligatory gay Dumbledore article.
- Be Leia for Halloween.
PEOPLE
- Ewan McGregor to be the face for new fragrance.
- George Lucas Educational Foundation teaches schools to be more green.
- Review of the 30 Rock episode Carrie Fisher guest-starred in.
- Interview with Natalie Portman on her appearance in tonight’s Animal Planet documentary Gorillas on the Brink. She also has a piece in this week’s Parade.
THE LAST WORD
The Outing That Shook the World
This is usually Yav’s beat, but she’s all busy doing something silly, like actual work. ::snort:: At any rate, the insanity of the Dumbledore outing continues.
– Giving validation to all the slash-fic’ers out there, David Thewlis (aka Remus Lupin) reports that he and director Alfonso Cuaron missed the mark a bit where his own character’s sexuality was concerned. (Plus, a nice story about David’s new book.)
– Jo, herself, got grilled a bit in Toronto, afterwards. And gives hope that a bit more of the Harry Potter universe might appear after a bit of a break.
– And GLAAD reminds us to play nice.
“Dumbledore is gay” NOT most emailed story
On the BBC news website anyway. That honour goes to “Monkeys kill Delhi deputy mayor.”
Still, it’s a hot topic around the rest of teh internets. From cat macros to After Elton to the Times of London to the Christian Broadcast Network, this is bigger news than homicidal primates.
Rowling outs Dumbledore, marries off Neville!
J.K. Rowling revealed that Neville Longbottom marries Hannah Abbott and that Albus Dumbledore was gay during tonight’s reading and book signing at NYC’s Carnegie Hall.
Let the wank begin!
Rowling kicks off US book tour
J.K. Rowling launched her book tour in Los Angeles by signing 1,600 books for school children, and answering questions about the highly anticipated Harry Potter encyclopedia (don’t hold your breath waiting for that one) and — surprise, surprise — Severus Snape.